Method and apparatus for routing voice traffic over a residential gateway

ABSTRACT

A system and method for managing voice communication between devices located within a local network and other devices. The present invention permits the managing and selective routing of voice communications over VoIP systems, circuit-based cellular systems and public switched telephone network systems based upon predefined criteria such as Quality of Service (QoS) considerations, geographic considerations, cost considerations and other factors.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.60/618,971 filed Oct. 14, 2004 and entitled “Method and Apparatus forRouting Voice Traffic Over a Residential Gateway.” This provisionalapplication is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to systems for routing varioustypes of information through a wireless gateway. More particularly, thepresent invention relates to the routing of data and voice calls througha wireless residential gateway.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Fixed wireless systems involve systems that are capable of enablingwireless communication, but are situated in fixed locations. Unlikemobile devices such as portable telephones and personal digitalassistants, fixed wireless devices can be much larger in size, lessmobile, and can include devices such as desktop personal computers.

Although having an enormous amount of potential, fixed wirelesscommunication has traditionally lagged wired systems in both usefulnessand popularity. A primary contributing factor for this phenomenon hasbeen the fact that data transmission in wired systems has far exceededdata transmission in wireless systems. In the past, data transmissionrates for fixed wireless systems have lagged Integrated Services DigitalNetwork (ISDN) transmission rates or even dial-up transmission ratesacross conventional telephone lines.

However, the obstacles to using fixed wireless systems are rapidly beingovercome. With the advent of Third Generation Wireless (3G)technologies, Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS)/WidebandCode Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) technologies in Europe, andEvolution Data Only (1×EVDO) technologies in North America, fixedwireless has become a viable option for wireless broadband access in thehome as part of the overall operator's 3G portfolio. Already, fixedwireless systems are capable of downlink throughput access rates in thehundreds of kilobits per second, and megabit rates will be widelyavailable in the near future. As a result of these advances fixedwireless access through UMTS, High Speed Packet Data Access (HSDPA) or1×EVDO is rapidly becoming a superior choice to ISDN or dial-up systems.In fact, some or all of these systems will equal or surpass thetransmission rates of digital subscriber line (DSL) systems in thenot-too-distant future.

As fixed wireless systems continue to increase in quality andperformance, improved “gateway” products become increasingly important.Wireless gateway products are needed to permit fixed wireless devicessuch as personal computers, peripheral devices and other devices withina local area network (LAN) to access and communicate with larger, widearea networks (WANs). As transmission rates continue to increase,wireless gateway devices must be able to manage more and morewireless-capable devices while maintaining high transmission rates amongthe devices and the larger networks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides for a system and method of using agateway device to manage voice data transmission from a wide variety ofdevices so as to permit the devices to communicate with larger wide areanetworks. The present invention is capable of managing data and/or callrouting based upon Quality of Service (QoS), geographic, cost, andapplication type criteria, as well as set user parameters. Dependingthese preferences, voice calls can be transmitted over either circuitbased cellular systems, voice-over-IP (VOIP) systems, or switchedtelephone network systems as necessary or desired. The present inventioncan aid in managing the transmission of voice and data communications toand from a wide variety of types of devices, including but not limitedto personal computers, printers, fax machines, fixed and mobiletelephones, handheld computing devices, and digital cameras. Data typessuch as voice data, video, images, and other multimedia content can betransmitted through the gateway device to and from WANs and theInternet.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention,together with the organization and manner of operation thereof, willbecome apparent from the following detailed description when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements havelike numerals throughout the several drawings described below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a functional diagram showing various types of datatransmission that may occur to and from a wireless gateway device of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a function diagram showing the types of devices that maycommunicate through a wireless gateway device of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a representation of a gateway device architecture according tothe present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the implementation of one embodiment ofthe present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention involves the placement of a residential gatewaydevice at a center of convergence among WLAN/LAN networks, one or moreWAN networks, voice/data transfer systems, and VoIP/Voice Over CSsystems. In various embodiments of the invention, such a device cansupport 802.11 WLAN, Bluetooth pan-access networks (PANs) and/orUltrawideband PAN/LAN. In this arrangement, data packets can be routedbetween the WLAN/LAN networks and the WAN network.

A gateway device of the present invention can be configured to support awide variety of interface mechanisms. For example, the device can beconfigured to support multiple Ethernet ports for connecting to desktopcomputers. In addition, the device can support USB ports for connectionsto devices such as computer printers. Still further, other devices suchas cordless telephones using Bluetooth or IEEE 802 technology, wirelesscameras, or any other wireless sensor can be operatively connected tothe gateway device in various embodiments of the present invention. Whenthe gateway device of various embodiments of the present invention is ina “router” mode, it is capable of routing voice, video, and multimediacontent back and forth among all of the devices discussed herein and theInternet over a WWAN link.

FIG. 1 is a functional diagram showing several types of transmissionmodes that can be used to transmit data and content through a gatewaydevice 100 with a controller of the present invention. It should benoted, however, that the present invention is not intended to be limitedto the types of transmission modes that are depicted in FIG. 1. Withinthe local area side 110 of the gateway device, transmission modes suchas 802.11 a, b and g; Bluetooth, and ultra-wideband transmissionmechanisms may be used for communication between the gateway device 100and various fixed and nonfixed devices. On the wide area side 120,transmission modes such as UMTS/HSDPA; DO/Rev. A, DSL, WiMax, andFlarion may be used to provide communication between the gateway device100 and the Internet 130.

FIG. 2 is a functional diagram showing various wireless and wireddevices that can communicate through a gateway device 100 of the presentinvention. It should be understood, however, that the devices shown inFIG. 2 are only exemplary in nature, and wide variety of devices notshown in FIG. 2 could also be used. As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of802.11 enabled laptop computers 200 located within a wireless local areanetwork can communicate with the gateway device 100 through a 802.11 b/gconnection. Video devices, such as video surveillance equipment 205, canuse 802.11 or Bluetooth technology to transmit data to and from thegateway device. Similar transmission mechanisms can also be used withcordless telephony 210, which can be used for VoIP transmission. Inaddition to wireless devices, a variety of wired devices can alsocommunicate with the gateway device 100. For example, a printer 215 canbe connected to the gateway device 100 through a USB connection. Ananalog fax machine 220 can also be connected to the gateway device 100through a RJ11 connection. In addition, an Ethernet LAN connection canbe used to connect the gateway device 100 to one or more desktopcomputers 225. Still further, an RJ11 connection can exist with ananalog voice telephone 230, which is capable of VoIP transmission whenintegrated with the system. VoIP is also capable using video telephonyequipment 235 when operatively connected to the gateway device 100. Allof these devices are therefore of transmitting through the gatewaydevice 100 to the wide area network 120 using HSDPA, UMTS/GSM, 3Gtechnology, etc.

FIG. 3 is a representation showing the architecture of a gateway device100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The gatewaydevice 100 of FIG. 3 includes a WAN module 300 through which WANactivity occurs, as well as a WLAN module 310 for WLAN activity. Thegateway device 100 can also include a fax module 320 for providing acommunication pathway for the analog fax machine 220 of FIG. 2. Inaddition, the gateway device can include a voice module 330 forproviding a VoIP pathway. A router or gateway 340 is included forrouting data or content to and from the appropriate location(s). Thegateway device also includes a power module 350 for powering the device,as well as one or more interface modules 360 for interfacing with thevarious local and wide area network devices in communication with thegateway device 100. The gateway device 100 also includes a processor 370and a memory 380, both of which can be incorporated into othercomponents such as the router or gateway 340.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the gateway device 100 iscapable of supporting both VoIP technology, conventional circuitswitched wired voice technology and/or circuit switched cellulartechnology. In this embodiment, voice traffic is capable of routed overa particular system based upon factors such as system QoS or userpreferences.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the implementation of various embodimentsof the present invention. In FIG. 4, it is assumed that there are threeoptions for voice communication: VoIP, circuit switched cellularcommunication, and a wireline public switched telephone network (PSTN)link. However, it is possible that only two of these options may beavailable in various embodiments of the invention. Furthermore, it isalso possible that other types of communication, either existingcurrently or in the future, may also be incorporated in to the presentinvention.

At step 400 in FIG. 4, a user attempts to initiate a telephone call toanother party. At step 405, it is determined whether the gateway 100 ismanually or automatically set to transmit the call over a particularcommunication system. For example, the gateway device 100 can bemanually set by the user to use VoIP for all outgoing calls. Inparticular, a circuit switch/VoIP selection button can be located on thegateway device itself, or it can be located on a telephone and/orheadset in communication with the gateway device. A system constructedaccording to the principles of the present invention can alsoincorporate voice recognition technology so that the user can speak aninstruction changing the manual setting. Alternatively, the gatewaydevice 100 can have a default system setting, where all calls will betransmitted over VoIP, for example, unless altered by the user.

If is a setting has been manually or automatically entered, then gatewaydevice 100 routes the call based upon the setting, and the call proceedsover the set system at step 410. If there is no such setting, then atstep 415, the system checks various pre-defined criteria to determinewhich system of communication should be used. Depending upon which ofthe criteria have been met, then the gateway device 100 selects VoIP(step 420), circuit switched cellular communication (step 425) or awireline PSTN link (step 430). The gateway device 100 then routes thecall based upon the selected form of communication and the call proceedsat step 435.

The criteria that are used to select a route for completing the voicecall can vary significantly. For example, the criteria can comprisepre-selected user preferences, the cost of the potential communication,the quality of the potential communication, or other criteria. In thecase of pre-selected user preferences, for example, a user can provide alisting of phone numbers that he or she always wants to use a certainroute. In particular, a person may always prefer that certain businesscalls always occur over a conventional PSTN link so as maintain anoptimal level of sound quality while also avoiding packet-deliverydelays that can occur in a VoIP call.

When cost considerations are among the criteria, a system of the presentinvention can use the area code of the call recipient to make theappropriate decision. For example, if the recipient's area code is thesame as the area code of the sender, then the system could be set totransmit the call over a conventional PSTN link, as such calls are oftenincluded in local telephone coverage plans. If the area codes aredifferent, on the other hand, than the system could be set to arrange aVoIP call. In addition, factors besides area codes can also be used. Forexample, if a person's cellular and PSTN have a reduced cost associatedwith calls in a geographical region (independent of area codes), thencalls directed to recipients in this area can be directed accordingly.

In terms of the quality of communication, a gateway device 100 of thepresent invention can consider a variety of quality factors in making acommunication decision. For example, the gateway device 100 candetermine whether a respective switched cellular link in strong enoughto enable a high quality connection. If not, or if there is a relativelyhigh risk of the call being dropped, then the gateway device 100 couldselect another mode of communication. Similar considerations can alsoapply to the VoIP and PSTN links.

In discussing the predefined criteria, it should be noted that thepresent invention is not intended to be limited to the use of only oneset of criteria at a time. For example, a single gateway device 100could consider geographic, cost, and QoS considerations at the sametime, applying certain weightings and/or priorities to each set ofcriteria.

The present invention is described in the general context of methodsteps, which may be implemented in one embodiment by a program productincluding computer-executable instructions, such as program code,executed by computers in networked environments. Generally, programmodules include routines, programs, objects, components, datastructures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particularabstract data types. Computer-executable instructions, associated datastructures, and program modules represent examples of program code forexecuting steps of the methods disclosed herein. The particular sequenceof such executable instructions or associated data structures representsexamples of corresponding acts for implementing the functions describedin such steps.

Software and web implementations of the present invention could beaccomplished with standard programming techniques with rule based logicand other logic to accomplish the various database searching steps,correlation steps, comparison steps and decision steps. It should alsobe noted that the words “component” and “module,” as used herein and inthe claims, is intended to encompass implementations using one or morelines of software code, and/or hardware implementations, and/orequipment for receiving manual inputs.

The foregoing description of embodiments of the present invention havebeen presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is notintended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to theprecise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible inlight of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of thepresent invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order toexplain the principles of the present invention and its practicalapplication to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the presentinvention in various embodiments and with various modifications as aresuited to the particular use contemplated.

1. A method of routing voice traffic over a gateway device, comprising:receiving an indication of an attempted initiation of a communicationwith a contact; selecting a communication option from a group ofavailable communication options based upon predefined criteria; androuting the attempted communication for completion with the contactusing the selected communication option.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein the group of available communication options includes a VoIPsystem link.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the group of availablecommunication options includes a public switched telephone network link.4. The method of claim 1, wherein the group of available communicationoptions includes a circuit switched cellular communication link.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the predefined criteria includes criteriabased upon the cost for the attempted communication using at least oneof the communication options.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein thepredefined criteria includes criteria based upon the geographicallocation of the contact.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein thepredefined criteria includes criteria based upon the quality of theattempted communication when completed using at least one of thecommunication options.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefinedcriteria includes a list of contact for which a particular communicationoption is to be used.
 9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:before selecting the communication option, determining whether aninstruction has been placed for all attempted communications to use aparticular communication option; if an instruction for using aparticular communication option has been placed, routing the attemptedcommunication using the particular communication option; and if aninstruction for using a particular communication option has not beenplaced, proceeding to select the communication option based upon thepredefined criteria.
 10. A computer program product for routing voicetraffic over a gateway device, comprising: computer code for receivingan indication of an attempted initiation of a communication with acontact; computer code for selecting a communication option from a groupof available communication options based upon predefined criteria; andcomputer code for routing the attempted communication for completionwith the contact using the selected communication option.
 11. Thecomputer program product of claim 9, wherein the group of availablecommunication options includes a VoIP system link.
 12. The computerprogram product of claim 9, wherein the group of available communicationoptions includes a public switched telephone network link.
 13. Thecomputer program product of claim 9, wherein the group of availablecommunication options includes a circuit switched cellular communicationlink.
 14. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein thepredefined criteria includes criteria based upon the cost for theattempted communication using at least one of the communication options.15. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the predefinedcriteria includes criteria based upon the geographical location of thecontact.
 16. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein thepredefined criteria includes criteria based upon the quality of theattempted communication when completed using at least one of thecommunication options.
 17. The computer program product of claim 9,wherein the predefined criteria includes a list of contact for which aparticular communication option is to be used.
 18. The computer programproduct of claim 9, further comprising: computer code for, beforeselecting the communication option, determining whether an instructionhas been placed for all attempted communications to use a particularcommunication option; computer code for, if an instruction for using aparticular communication option has been placed, routing the attemptedcommunication using the particular communication option; and computercode for, if an instruction for using a particular communication optionhas not been placed, proceeding to select the communication option basedupon the predefined criteria.
 19. A gateway device for routingcommunication activity between at least one local area device and atleast one wide area network, comprising: a wide area network module forenabling communication with devices within the at least one wide areanetwork; a voice module for enabling communication with local telephonydevices; a processor operatively connected to the wide area networkmodule and the voice module; and a memory unit operatively connected tothe processor and including: computer code for receiving an indicationof an attempted initiation of a communication from a local telephonydevice to a contact; computer code for selecting a communication optionfrom a group of available communication options based upon predefinedcriteria; and computer code for routing the attempted communication forcompletion with the contact using the selected communication option. 20.The gateway device of claim 19, wherein the group of availablecommunication options includes a VoIP system link.
 21. The gatewaydevice of claim 19, wherein the group of available communication optionsincludes a public switched telephone network link.
 22. The gatewaydevice of claim 19, wherein the group of available communication optionsincludes a circuit switched cellular communication link.
 23. The gatewaydevice of claim 19, wherein the predefined criteria includes criteriabased upon the cost for the attempted communication using at least oneof the communication options.
 24. The gateway device of claim 19,wherein the predefined criteria includes criteria based upon thegeographical location of the contact.
 25. The gateway device of claim19, wherein the predefined criteria includes criteria based upon thequality of the attempted communication when completed using at least oneof the communication options.
 26. The gateway device of claim 19,wherein the predefined criteria includes a list of contact for which aparticular communication option is to be used.
 27. The gateway device ofclaim 19, wherein the memory unit further includes: computer code for,before selecting the communication option, determining whether aninstruction has been placed for all attempted communications to use aparticular communication option; computer code for, if an instructionfor using a particular communication option has been placed, routing theattempted communication using the particular communication option; andcomputer code for, if an instruction for using a particularcommunication option has not been placed, proceeding to select thecommunication option based upon the predefined criteria.